Fighter Aircraft Generations: A Reference...

This may have been asked already, but with ALL of Northern Europe Airspace closed down does that also include Fighter Jets AWACS etc???

I'm guessing 5th gen is similar to MKV

It's most likely just a plane with major upgrades.

Thanks so much for this post, I have been wondering how they figure out which generation a fighter plane is. Do they include bombers in the generation lists, as I have never come across a bomber being described as a "3rd generation bomber" for example.

In my opinion, the jet fighter classification would be:

1) subsonic straight wing
Examples: Meteor, F-80 Shooting Star, F-84G Thunderjet, F9F Panther, MiG-9 "Fargo", Ouragan,

2) subsonic swept wing
Examples : F-84F Thunderstreak, F-86 Sabre, F9F Cougar, MiG-15 "Fagot", MiG-17 "Fresco", Mystere IV, J29 Tunnan

3) transonic & low supersonic
Examples : F-100 Super Sabre, MiG-19 "Farmer", Super Mystere, J32 Lansen, Hunter, F-102 Delta Dart, F-11 Tiger, ...

4A) tactical supersonic planes around Mach 2 class
Examples : F-104 Starfighter, F-8 Crusader, F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger II, Mirage III, BAC Lightning, J35 Draken, MiG-21 "Fishbed", Mirage F1, JA37 Viggen

4B) long range supersonic planes around Mach 2 class & beyond
Examples: F-4 Phantom II, Mirage G8, F-106 Delta Dart, Su-9/11 "Fishpot", Su-15 "Flagon", MiG-23 "Flogger", MiG-25 "Foxbat", YF-12A Blackbird, J-8 "Finback", CF-105 Arrow

5A) tactical fighters around Mach 2 class with higher maneuverability
Examples: F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, F-20 Tigershark, Mirage 2000, JAS39 Gripen, Typhoon, MiG-29 "Fulcrum", Rafale

5B) long range fighters arround Mach 2 class with higher maneuverability:
F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, Su-27/30/33/35 "Flanker"

6A) stealth tactical fighters:
F-35 Lightning II

6B) stealth long range fighters:
F-22 Raptor, YF-23, Suhoi T-50, Chengdu J-20

reply to post by intelgurl


How would you define 6'th generation?

reply to post by intelgurl


thank for posting

kondor
In my opinion, the jet fighter classification would be:

1) subsonic straight wing
Examples: Meteor, F-80 Shooting Star, F-84G Thunderjet, F9F Panther, MiG-9 "Fargo", Ouragan,

2) subsonic swept wing
Examples : F-84F Thunderstreak, F-86 Sabre, F9F Cougar, MiG-15 "Fagot", MiG-17 "Fresco", Mystere IV, J29 Tunnan

3) transonic & low supersonic
Examples : F-100 Super Sabre, MiG-19 "Farmer", Super Mystere, J32 Lansen, Hunter, F-102 Delta Dart, F-11 Tiger, ...

4A) tactical supersonic planes around Mach 2 class
Examples : F-104 Starfighter, F-8 Crusader, F-5 Freedom Fighter / Tiger II, Mirage III, BAC Lightning, J35 Draken, MiG-21 "Fishbed", Mirage F1, JA37 Viggen

4B) long range supersonic planes around Mach 2 class & beyond
Examples: F-4 Phantom II, Mirage G8, F-106 Delta Dart, Su-9/11 "Fishpot", Su-15 "Flagon", MiG-23 "Flogger", MiG-25 "Foxbat", YF-12A Blackbird, J-8 "Finback", CF-105 Arrow

5A) tactical fighters around Mach 2 class with higher maneuverability
Examples: F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet, F-20 Tigershark, Mirage 2000, JAS39 Gripen, Typhoon, MiG-29 "Fulcrum", Rafale

5B) long range fighters arround Mach 2 class with higher maneuverability:
F-14 Tomcat, F-15 Eagle, Su-27/30/33/35 "Flanker"

6A) stealth tactical fighters:
F-35 Lightning II

6B) stealth long range fighters:
F-22 Raptor, YF-23, Suhoi T-50, Chengdu J-20

edit on 10-6-2011 by kondor because: type error

edit on 10-6-2011 by kondor because: (no reason given)

A friend of mine that is former milityary, refers to the F-22 and the F-35 as 6th gen. He did mention Boeing is developing the first of the new 7th Generation figher.

reply to post by proxima


The F-22 and F-35 are both 5th gen fighters. The F-22 is the only operational 5th gen fighter in the world. Boeing and Lockheed are both developing a 6th gen fighter. We haven't gotten to 6th yet, let alone working on 7th. Lockheed has said they want to develop self healing skin for their 6th gen aircraft, among other advances.

The only thing I know how to do with these aircrafts is to put fuel on them, but when you think about it, the 22 and the 35 is the 5th gen.

reply to post by proxima


Exactly. We have yet to reach 6th gen, which promises some wild new technologies.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
reply to post by proxima

 

The F-22 and F-35 are both 5th gen fighters. The F-22 is the only operational 5th gen fighter in the world. Boeing and Lockheed are both developing a 6th gen fighter. We haven't gotten to 6th yet, let alone working on 7th. Lockheed has said they want to develop self healing skin for their 6th gen aircraft, among other advances.

Zaph!

"self healing skin..." Think this technology could be linked to metallic-like debris, or "memory metal," reportedly located among the Roswell Incident debris field in '47 and studied by the Battelle Institute? Hey, just saying This is ATS!

I always found Air Vectors to be a good source of information about individual plane models.

a reply to: intelgurl

I've always been under the opinion that the F-4 was a 2nd generation aircraft updated for its role in Vietnam. The USAF never truly had a 3rd gen aircraft. By the time Russia was fielding 3rd gen aircraft the US had prototype F-14/15/16/18. We jumped a generation. However not by this definition. There are many definitions of "generation" of aircraft...depends who you talk to.

a reply to: intelgurl

Why are we going backwards in the regards of speed? You would think in 70+ years they would have much faster airframes. Or is what we are seeing a big lie to keep the enemies from seeking better weapons?



Something does not add up. If airframes matched other tech we would be flying at much higher speeds. By the way OP great thread.....It made my mind seek answers and I love that.

a reply to: SubTruth

We aren't. Current aircraft have a top speed about the same as older aircraft. Speeds are staying about the same, because they're not important honestly. The only aircraft that rely on speed are recon platforms, where it's loiter time or speed, and loiter time is more important.

Higher speeds are more difficult that stealth is, and stealth is extremely difficult.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: SubTruth

We aren't. Current aircraft have a top speed about the same as older aircraft. Speeds are staying about the same, because they're not important honestly. The only aircraft that rely on speed are recon platforms, where it's loiter time or speed, and loiter time is more important.

Higher speeds are more difficult that stealth is, and stealth is extremely difficult.

You would think being faster on target would matter more.....Hmm. I bet somewhere along the line a internal fight happened inside the military complex and stand off tech won out. I also wonder what the real top speeds of recon airframes are.

a reply to: SubTruth

You can get there fast, without much payload, requiring more aircraft and support, or you can get there slower, with more payload requiring fewer aircraft and support.

Makes me wonder how well the F-35 would do in a EW/ECM heavy scenario, given its total reliance on electronic systems and BVR.

Like, let's say a bunch of 4th gen air-superiority fighters with state of the art jamming pods.

a reply to: moebius

For jamming pods to work, they have to detect the radar, and counter it. Unless you want to go the brute force approach, which just blots out every radar signal out there, including your own. At that point, the F-35 would have the advantage again. EW is a finesse approach that isn't easy to do with an LPI system.

Probable sixth-generation fighter technologies (could be spread across more than one platform):

1.) Sensor fusion a generation or two beyond the F-35
2.) All-aspect, multi-band stealth
3.) Multi-spectral, embedded sensors
4.) More efficient supercruise and/or higher supercruise capabilities
5.) Microwave weapon (AESA radar mode)
6.) High Energy Laser weapon (in the 100+ kW range)
7.) Tail-less (no vertical stabilizers and/or horizontal stabilizers)
8.) High-modularity for lifetime upgrades
9.) Optionally unmanned